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oops! One does have to *copy* a document before one can send it! I do know
this, LOL! Sorry for the blank post! Can I say it was a ...teaser? C.
The Ludi Romani were over, at least officially, but the crowds remained, and
it seemed as though every Roman had at least 5 parties to visit this night,
including, thought Mythia with a touch of surprise, herself. First,
however, she wanted food; something more substantial than what the vendors
were selling, good as that had been, and she wanted to see some friends
before they left Rome. She did not hurry tonight, but walked slowly, fully
absorbing the atmosphere, and watching the color and spontaneous pageantry
that only a street in Rome could produce. Senators intermixed with
laborers, though the Senators wee well buffered by heir servants and guards,
Magistrates and tradesmen spoke together, with neither condescension nor
subservience. This was Rome, and, while a citizen was equal only among
piers, still, no citizen, including even the mighty Consuls, would be quick
to insult another citizen, no matter his or her station. Perhaps, she
thought, that was why she, not Roman born, could love this city so much.
"Lighten up, old woman" she thought, tonight belongs to the gods of wine,
the muses, and the very kind goddess Amicitia. Was Amicitia a goddess she
wondered? If not, she should be. She turned the corner, and was about to
turn into the Eagle Taberna, when a voice from behind her roared out her
name. She whirled, not knowing whether to expect friend or enemy, ready for
either, then with a cry of true joy, ran the few steps across the pavement,
straight into Merlinius' wide flung arms.
He caught her up in a bear hug, lifted her off her feet, and swung her
around, as though she were but a child. "Put me down, you beast" She said,
laughing. "I am too heavy for you to lift like that! You'll injure
yourself, you old reprobate!"
He did so, with a squeeze that made her gasp and a hearty bus on both
cheeks. "How are you? And how can you remain so beautiful after so many
long years?"
Mythia turned to the soldier, standing beside Merlinius, who was making no
attempt to hide his laughter. "I think," she said, head tilted judiciously,
"that you had best take this one to a physician and have his eyes examined
carefully. I suspect he has gone blind."
"Hah" cried Merlinius, tucking her hand into his arm in a proprietary
manner. "I can see perfectly in as many worlds as you can! But come, let
us share our farewell meal, and perhaps trade stories! Also, I want to hear
all that has befallen you, since we last met in Ultima Thule."
"Ah yes .now *that* was grand fun! But yes. I'll collect some friends along
the way as we go in, if you don't mind. I owe one or 2 of them an
explanation about something."
They entered and were greeted immediately by Vinius. "Your back room
awaits, my friends, and I see that you have added to your number! Come,
come .and, Mythia, my sweet, my wife says to tell you that Vinia Tertia has
read that book you told her to read."
"Good. I'll call on her tomorrow, and we will discuss it." She said, as
they followed Vinius to the back room. She beckoned several good friends to
join them, so that, by the time they entered they already well filled room,
Vinius has to send for more couches, tables, and chairs. They all sorted
themselves out, ordered, and chatted a while. Merlinius hedged when asked
where he would be bound, and others spoke of going home, or staying in Rome
for a while. Finally, once they had eaten, and were relaxing with cups of
fine Falernian, young Lucia spoke shyly. "Mythia, could you tell us what
happened to Felesita, and what was the gift she received?"
"That, dear girl, is what I had intended to do," said Mythia, with laughter
in her voice. I can't tell you everything, because she had a very eventful
life, but I will answer your question, and tell you a story about how she
proved her bravery to everyone, and became an entirely unofficial, but
treasured part of a Roman legion.
This story takes place about 4 years after my last one, so Felesita was
around 10 or so. Things had changed for her. For one thing, she was too
big for Marcius to carry her on his shoulders while they marched, so she now
was relegated to ride in the baggage train with Tita, the laundress. Tita
was a very kind woman, and loved the child, but she had spoken firmly to
Lucius, and Felesita was now more chaperoned, and even required to dress
like a girl, constraints she resisted as fiercely and with the wiliness that
all 10 year old girls seem to possess. However, when the General ordered
Marcius to foster Felesita with a very good family in one of the safer pats
of the Province, and had even made arrangement for he education and
provision for her dowry, neither Marcius nor Felesita could resist, and so,
she left the army, to live in a lovely house, with a wealthy merchant and
his family. She was well treated, even treated with kindness, but he heart
was on the road, and mot of her prayer were for the protection of the people
he had known all her life. She lived so for more than 6 month, and,
gradually, found that she could slip away, from time to time, and explore
every corner and byway of he new town.
The one thing that she had been able to keep were the clothes she had won in
the camp, the breeches, loose shirt, belt, boots and good knife. She knew
enough about sewing to lengthen them a she needed to, using what material
she could find, and she kept the belt and boot in military condition, just
as she had done before. The other thing she kept very safe, was the gift
she had been given so long ago. She wore it in a soft leather pouch of her
own making, on a sturdy thong around her neck, under her shirt or tunica,
and, whenever she felt lonely or isolated, her hand would stay to where the
pouch hid against her, and remember those she loved, and who loved her. So
it might have continued until she grew into womanhood, but it was not to be.
The ruler of a nearby town had decided to revolt against the rule of the
Romans, and, since her town had refused to join the rebellion, he had
decided to send his army against them. The first Felesita knew of this was
on the day that she stood atop the wall of her town, gazing out over the
peaceful countryside.
Now an army cannot march without being seen, unless they march by night. If
they are big enough, and if the roads are dry, they create, among other
things a cloud of dust that marches with, and sometimes ahead of, and behind
them. There had been no rain for a few weeks, so Felesita could see the
dust, and knew exactly what it as. She observed I carefully, knowing, also,
how-to judge what it hid from its size and speed. It was coming from the
wrong direction to be *her* army, and besides, she knew from listening to
town gossip where they were, and, roughly, what they did. So, she watched,
and calculated. Then she hurried down and though the streets to her foster
home, found the merchant in his study, and told him what she had seen.
"Are you sure of this?" he asked, eyebrows raised in some disbelief. "Yes,
Cassius Aquilinus. I am. There is an army approaching, probably one or 2
cohorts, with some cavalry. I think they will be here in about a day or
so."
Aquilinus frowned, but also considered. This child had been raised in an
army camp, knew something of soldiers, and had shown herself to be
intelligent and quick witted. Still, one did not take the word of a girl
child, and a Gaul, at that, for something so vital. "Very well, I shall go
look. You may go to help tend your little sisters."
"Yes, Pater Familias" she said, formally, and left the room, but not to go
to the nursery. She knew what he would see, and that he would roué the
defense of the town. However .if they sent to the army for help, the
messenger might not make it, or make it in time. They weren't used to such
work, and the troop coming would have scouts and outriders, too, to prevent
anyone from using the roads. He didn't intend to do so. Instead, she went
into her room, and removed what she would need, arranging it so she could
slip into it quickly hen the time was right. Then she slipped into the food
storage rooms, took what she thought she would need, packed her carry pack,
and took it to her room. Evading the house servants was almost shamefully
easy, since they made *so* much noise, and she had spun a tale for them, if
she had needed it. Finally, when she was ready, she went to the nursery,
and helped her foster mother with her little sisters.
Now, she had explored every nook and cranny in her town, and knew all the
county side around it, too, so while she helped little Quinta dress her
latest doll, and chatted about household mattes with Valeria, she made her
plans. She found that the hours crawled by, and waiting made her far more
nervous than facing a whole army alone would have. Still, she knew it was
essential, so she waited. She pretended. Finally, night came, and finally,
the house grew quiet.
She moved almost silently, and without light, slipped into her clothing,
wrapped her food bag into her cloak, which she tied to her back, checked to
make sure she had her knife in her sheath, touched the bag at her heart,
picked up her sturdy boots, and slipped out of the house, and through the
sleeping town. The alls wee alight with torches, she notice, and guard
marched along them, looking out to here she knew enemy camp fires were
burning. They weren't all around the wall, yet, which she thought stupid,
but, it helped her. She knew it's construction, and she knew about the far
corner, closest to the thick woods behind the town, where the tones didn't
quite meet. And where the fill of earth and pebbles had been allowed to
erode over the many seasons when there were on threats. The space was way
too narrow for even a thin man, but not for her, as she well knew. She
slipped to that wall, and followed it, using her hand to keep her place.
She found her spot, and slipped though, then ran, softly and swiftly, into
the shadow of the trees. There, she stopped, and listened carefully.
Movement. There, to her right. An animal? No .too .regular, and too
secretive, even for a hunting cat or wolf. She barely breathed, and then
she heard it again, more loudly, headed away from her, along the wall. She
waited more, and then slipped back further into the woods, picking her way
with extreme care. Finally, she felt safe enough to put on boots, but she
climbed a nearby tree, and waited, tucked high into the branches, until just
before dawn. Down she went, and stated her journey. She easily avoided the
roads, choosing to slip through the fields of high golden grain, and the
woods thick with trees and undergrowth. She preferred to travel at night,
depending on Diana to guide her, fearing the wild animals far less than
anyone she might meet on the road. It took her 2 days of almost constant
movement to find her army. They had just built their camp, and she slipped
in, easily enough, as she had always done. She hunted for Marcius, but
could not find him, so, in desperation, she went, boldly, to the tent of the
General himself. One of the guards stopped her, not recognizing her. "Who
are you, and what do you want?" he barked, hand firmly on gladius.
"I am Felesita. Marcia Felesita, and I must speak with the General."
"And just what makes you think he will speak with a half grown .*girl?* uh,
you *are* girl brat?
"Take this in, and show it to him," she said, reluctantly removing the
little bag. "If you open it, to steal what is inside it, I vow to great
Mars that I will find you and kill you." She spoke so quietly, and with
such absolutely conviction, that he found himself believing her, and
believing, more surprisingly, and she not only would, but could, carry out
he threat. He entered the tent slowly, but emerged with great speed,
holding her pouch out to her. "Come in, quickly" he said, looking more than
a little confused. "The general will see you."
So, she told her story, and answered the questions of the General and his
staff. They sent her away to be fed, then, and the army was on the march
after a very short rest. Because of her bravery, the town was saved, in a
short, fairly savage, battle, and, in a ceremony never held before or, so
far as I know, since, a girl was taken into, and made a part of, a Roman
legion, and given an award for extreme bravery."
"But what happened to her? Asked Crassus, "And what was in that pouch?"
Mythia sat very, very still, for a moment, then, looking from face to face,
and realizing that all here wee as dear to her as her own family, she drew
from beneath her tunica along, thin gold chain. On the end of that chain
was a golden coin, set into a bezel of platinum. One the side that faced
them was the Roman eagle. She tuned the coin and the face of a very famous
general looked out at them. Without speaking, she slipped the chain back
beneath her tunica, and took a deep draught of wine.
"You are .*YOU* are .Felesita!" gasped Lucia, eyes alight with delight and
awe.
"I was once Felesita, called the kitten of the camp, Felesita Castrae, and
have become Mythia, yes."
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